Post by Declan on Aug 12, 2009 21:11:53 GMT -5
There are plenty of factors that add pressure to a player entering the season. He could be in his contract year. He could be coming off a sub-par season. He could be playing for a new coach. He could play the position most crucial to his team's success.
Or all of the above.
Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco falls into that category.
Turco is coming off one of the most frustrating seasons of his career. Just one season after leading his team to the Western Conference finals, Turco's 31 losses tied Ilya Bryzgalov for the most in the NHL.
He started the season in a big slump, and by the time he emerged it was too late to rally the Stars to a postseason berth.
"The pressure (comes from) missing the playoffs for the first time in my career, a new coach, a new general manager -- for all of us in the organization after completing our worst season I've been around, there is pressure on everybody," Turco told Sporting News.
Now Turco enters the final year of a contract that averages $5.7 million, and he could be playing for his future in Dallas. It was no secret that the Stars made a run at Swedish goalie prospect Jonas Gustavsson, who ultimately signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Along with trying to get his team back in the postseason, Turco wants to keep his job, too.
"I have a family -- three kids now. I turned 34 (Aug. 13) and have one year left on my contract. That's personal. We're human and this is my job," Turco said. "That's pressure different than the arena of sport. I feel fortunate that I don't feel stressed about my personal situation. As competitive and driven as I am, these things seem to take care of themselves."
Turco isn't the only goalie who will be feeling the pressure this season. Far from it. Count these five right behind him:
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks
The Sharks were also in the mix for Gustavsson, which is a sign that GM Doug Wilson could be in the market to find a replacement for Nabokov, who is 34. He's also in the final year of a contract that pays him more than $5 million this season -- a hefty amount for a goalie whose skills may be on the decline. His body of work in the playoffs suggests that he may be just good enough to lose close games for the Sharks in the postseason.
Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings
Osgood rebounded from a poor regular season to help lead the Red Wings to within one game of another Stanley Cup championship last season. It helped cement his reputation as a big-game goalie, but Osgood can't afford another bad regular season. Safety net Ty Conklin left as a free agent and the inexperienced Jimmy Howard is expected to be his backup.
Ray Emery, Philadelphia Flyers
Emery returns from Russia to man goal for a team that expects to be in the mix for a Stanley Cup title after acquiring veteran defenseman Chris Pronger. There never has been any question about Emery's talent, but off-ice issues led to his year away from the NHL. Given a second chance at NHL success, Emery must seize the opportunity.
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
It's almost blasphemy to suggest that one of the greatest goalies to ever play the game has something to prove, but Brodeur and the Devils have been eliminated from the playoffs in the first round for two consecutive seasons. Fair or unfair, playoff wins are how a future Hall of Famer like Brodeur will be measured. Factor in the Olympics, and Brodeur has a pressure-packed season waiting for him.
Cristobal Huet, Chicago Blackhawks
Huet never could beat out Nikolai Khabibulin last season after signing a big free-agent contract with the Blackhawks. Now he doesn't have to. Khabibulin is gone and now Huet will get the No. 1 job in Chicago. The organization hopes he'll find a comfort zone that never emerged last season. Huet's contract averages $5.625 million per season for the next three years. The Blackhawks need him to earn it.
www.sportingnews.com/nhl/article/2009-08-12/pressure-turco-will-be-among-goalies-feeling-it